Artificial ice rink employing modular units



April 23, 16 J. c. LEWIS, JR 3,379,931

ARTIFICIAL ICE RINK EMPLOYING MODULAR UNITS Filed Jan. 24, 1966 INVENTOR. JOHN 6'. LE WIS JR.

United States Patent 3,379,031 ARTIFICIAL ICE RINK EMPLOYING MODULARUNITS John C. Lewis, Jr., 29 South St., Middlebury, Vt. 05753 Filed Jan.24, 1966, Ser. No. 522,471 4 Claims. (Cl. 62--235) This inventionrelates to a new and useful type of artificial ice rink. Morespecifically, it is concerned with artificial ice rinks having modulecomponents wherein any combination of two or more units form a surfacefor ice formation.

Commercial artificial ice rinks have been known for many years. And itis a well-known fact that rinks which have been built for yearlong useare expensive. The two major components of such rinks are the coolingcoils and the refrigeration equipment. Usually, there are hundreds offeet of piping laid onto a fiat surface in parallel formation in orderto provide the network of cooling coils needed for ice formation. Afterthe piping is in place, the complete network is covered with concrete orasphalt, or any other like composition, thus resulting in a flat, smoothsurface which facilitates ice formation when a cooling liquid, anexample would be brine, is circulated throughout the piping network. Inalmost all instances, these rinks are of a permanent nature.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained bymeans of the combinations, compositions and improvements pointed out inthe appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel steps, methods, combinations,compositions and improvements herein shown and described.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an inexpensiveand easily fabricated artificial ice rink comprised of cooling modulescapable of being assembled and disassembled by the ordinary homeowner.

Another object of this invention is to provide cooling modules whichwhen assembled will form an artificial ice rink having configurationsdifferent from the Wellknown square and rectangular shapes.

The objects of this invention may be realized by first forming a coolingmodule containing a network of veins or channels for circulating acooling liquid throughout its internal structure, and secondly,positioning at least two cooling modules adjacent to one another so thattheir network of veins are connected with each other, thus providing alarge cooling surface for ice formation, and thirdly, supplying to theinternal circulatory system of the modules means for cooling andcirculating a refrigerant.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of an artificial ice rink utilizing sixcooling modules of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cut-away view of a corner cooling module showing thecooling veins.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2 taken through AA.

It is clearly seen that the artificial ice rink of this invention isbased upon the module unit concept. These modules are formed having atleast three sides, in sheetlike mats from either thermoplastic resinssuch as, for instance, polyvinyl chloride, polyamides, polyethylene,polypropylene, polyacetal, polycarbonate, or resins like polyester andepoxy impregnated with fibreglass. The internal vein or coil structureis provided for by forming channels within the module structure or byimbedding tubing within the resin composition. The tubing is constructedfrom any type of material capable of tubular formation, and capable ofwithstanding the pressure ultimately generated by the circulatingcooling liquid. Means are provided for at- 3,379,031 Patented Apr. 23,1968 taching two or more modules together along the edges. In theinstance of corner modules having four sides, two adjacent edges containmeans for attaching to other modules, while the remaining two edges havelips or high sides for retaining ice. Edge modules having four sidesconsist of three adjacent edges containing means for attaching to othermodules and one remaining edge having a lip or high side for retainingice. Center modules having four sides consist of four adjacent edgescontaining means for attaching to other modules.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and thefollowing detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory ofthe invention but not too restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the invention, FIGURE 1 illustrates apreferred assembly of cooling modules in accordance with the invention,although such form is given by way of example only, and other forms maybe used. As shown in FIGURE 1, the ice rink consists of four cornermodules 1, 1', 1" and 2, and two edge modules 3 and 3. Each module isattached to another by means of attachment 8.

The cooling veins 4 of each module are joined at 5. The outer edges ofall the modules have a special high side 7, which acts as a batter boardfor stopping ice pucks when ice hockey is played upon the rinks surface,and also serves as a darn for keeping in water when the temperature ofthe cooling liquid is allowed to raise above the freezing point of ice.The ice 10, is simply frozen to the surface 9 of each module. A specialmodule 2, has been provided with cooling veins 6 and 6', in order toallow a cooling liquid to be first cooled by a refrigeration unit, andthen circulated throughout the network of veins 4, provided for in eachmodule. Special gaskets are supplied at each joint 5, in order to insureagainst leakage.

FIGURES 2 and 3 illustrate a corner module 1, containing a tubular vein4, with connection ends 5, imbedded in a resin fibre-glass composition11. The high side 7, is an integral part of the module. Means forattaching the module 1 to another are provided at 8.

The modules of this invention would be preferably square, and havedimensions of the order of 4 by 4, 5 by 5, 6 by 6 feet and the like,although large module units can be constructed having dimensions of theorder of 20 by 20 feet. The veins within the module may be made fromunoriented or oriented thermoplastic tubing, or from metallic tubing.The diameter of the tubing would be in the order of 0.5 to 3.0 inches.The thickness of the modules would be of the order of about 0.75 to 4.0inches. Wherever possible, the veins can be fashioned as hollow channelsor voids within the module structure, thus eliminating the need fortubing. In this instance, only a short connecting vein member isrequired to attach the cooling vein portion of one module to that ofanother.

The composition of the module unit is selected from the group consistingof either long chain linear thermoplastic polymers and co-polymers orresins of a thermosetting nature reinforced with fibre-glass. It ispossible to fabricate a completely non-metallic module by employingmolding and extrusion techniques.

Of course the invention is not limited to the embodiments herein beforedescribed and illustrated, but may by varying scope be modified inparticular as to the typeand size of cooling module employed, thearrangement of modules in forming a cooling surface and the compositionthereof, without thereby departing from the scope of the instantinvention.

I claim:

1. An artificial ice rink comprising at least two, interconnected,fibre-glass reinforced polyester resin, cooling modules having integralsides for ice retention thereon and having internal veins for thecirculation of a cooling liquid which maintains the surface of saidmodules at a temperature below the freezing point of Water to allow forformation of ice thereon.

2. An artificial ice rink comprising a plurality of interconnected,cooling modules composed of a foamed polymer and arranged in such afashion as to allow the formation of a surface of ice upon which icehockey can be played, and wherein said modules have integral sides forice retention thereon and have internal veins for the circulation of acooling liquid which maintains the surface of said modules at atemperature below the freezing point of water to allow for formation ofice thereon.

3. A portable artificial ice rink especially adapted for use byhomeowners, apartments occupants and the like, comprising a plurality ofa self-supporting, interconnectable, hand portable modular units havinga single inlet and outlet positioned in one modular unit for arefrigerant, and wherein each of said units has an integral passagetherethrough interconnectable with the passages of said other units andto said single inlet and outlet to form a continuous integrated passagethrough said units for the circulation of refrigerant to maintain theupper surface of each modular unit at a temperature below the freezingpoint of water for the formation of ice there- 4. The portableartificial ice rink set forth in claim 3, wherein the passage in eachmodular unit is retroverted, and wherein said inlet is conected to thepassage within said one unit and wherein said outlet is connected to thepassage in an adjoining unit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 632,035 8/1899 Anderson 622352,270,745 1/1942 Rodd 62235 2,469,021 5/1949 Vetter 62235 2,615,30810/1952 Thorns 62235 2,769,315 11/1956 Meadows 62235 2,874,549 2/1959Beltz 62235 3,012,596 12/1961 Skolout 62235 FOREIGN PATENTS 109,904 4/1900 Germany.

WILLIAM J. WYE, Primaly Examiner.

1. AN ARTIFICIAL ICE RINK COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO, INTERCONNECTED,FIBRE-GLASS REINFORCED POLYESTER RESIN, COOLING MODULES HAVING INTEGRALSIDES FOR ICE RETENTION THEREON AND HAVING INTERNAL VEINS FOR THECIRCULATION OF A COOLING LIQUID WHICH MAINTAINS THE SURFACE OF SAIDMODULES AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW THE FREEZING POINT OF WATER TO ALLOW FORFORMATION OF ICE THEREON.